Motor vehicles include rubber-tired wheels that are mounted on a rotating hub. The hub has a ball bearing assembly or roller bearing assembly that mounts the hub on a steering knuckle in the case of front wheels, or mounts the hub on an axle in the case of rear wheels. In modern motor vehicles, the wheel hubs are routinely equipped with a wheel speed sensing mechanism that will provide wheel speed data to an antilock brake controller. The wheel speed sensing mechanism includes a segmented disc with notches and a magnetic sensor that is positioned adjacent the notches.
The intrusion of dirt or road grime into the bearings will cause premature wear of the bearings. The intrusion of dirt, road grime, or of metallic particles into the segmented disc or sensor may interfere with the reliable operation of the wheel speed sensing mechanism.
In modern vehicles, the hub has a hollow central opening with splines in readiness for receiving a driveshaft. The driveshaft can be equipped with a slinger disc that protects the hub bearings and the wheel speed sensing mechanism from intrusion of dirt, road grime, or metallic particles. However, in those vehicles that are not equipped with the driveshaft and slinger disc, there is a need for a protective mechanism to prevent intrusion of dirt, road grime, or metallic particles.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a protective cap that would be installed in the wheel hub to protect the wheel speed sensing mechanism and the hub bearing from intrusion of dirt, grime, and metallic particles.